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European Clothing Action Plan
Driving circular fashion and textiles December 2019
WRAP and the project partners would like to thank the following people and, Johanna Minnaard and LWARB. Images are subject to copyright.
Part funded by EU Life, ECAP was a team effort, coordinated by
WRAP - who led the overall project management, evaluation and
communications and the European consumer engagement action.
Dutch government agency Rijkswaterstaat led on Public
Procurement, Collections and Fibre to Fibre Recovery actions.
London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB) led on the action to
engage young consumers in London.
Danish Fashion Institute led on the development of the Design for
Longevity platform, becoming Global Fashion Agenda in May 2018.
MADE-BY led the actions on fibre strategies and manufacturing
production processes, until November 2018.
This initiative ran from September 2015 to December 2019 and
is one of the first EU LIFE funded projects to address clothing
sustainability and to aim to influence the entire supply chain.
ABOUT ECAP
WRAP and the project partners would like to thank the following
people and organisations for enabling us to use their photographs and
diagrams in this report: Johanna Minnaard, LWARB, MADE-BY,
Shutterstock and Pixabay. Images are subject to copyright.
While we have taken reasonable steps to ensure this report is accurate,
WRAP and ECAP partners do not accept liability for any loss, damage,
cost or expense incurred or arising from reliance on this report. For
more details, please see full terms and conditions on our website at:
http://www.ecap.eu.com
The European Clothing Action Plan
was a pioneering project that aimed to
bring environmental and economic
benefit to the clothing industry -
across design, production,
consumption, public procurement,
collection, recycling and reprocessing.
1. Engaging designers & buyers to
adopt more sustainable design
practices
2. Working with apparel
manufacturers on reducing and
re-using waste material in
production processes
3. Measuring the current fibre
usage of brands and retailers
and developing sustainable fibre
strategies
4. Influencing how
European governments
procure more circular workwear
5. Engaging European
consumers to purchase, care for
and dispose of their garments
more sustainably
6. Engaging directly with 16-24
year old consumers in London
on how to purchase and dispose
of their garments
7. Working with local municipalities
across Europe to improve textile
collections
8. Working with brands and
retailers to integrate recycled
textile fibres into their products
The clothing industry creates a huge
amount of waste, both in the supply
chain and at end of life and the
environmental footprint of clothing is
extremely high. Our challenge was to
change the way we produce, supply, use
and dispose of clothes and a framework
of action was developed:
ECAP’s overall objective was to adopt a more circular approach
to clothing and textiles across Europe, with specific aims to:
• Reduce the carbon, water and waste footprints of clothing
• Ensure that fewer low-grade textiles go to incineration and
landfill
• Prevent waste in the clothing supply chain
• Encourage innovation in resource-efficient design, recycling of
textile fibres and service models to encourage business growth
in the sector
• Influence consumers to adopt more sustainable behaviours
OUR CHALLENGE
Note: 1. EEA Textiles in Europe’s circular economy
Clothing, footwear and household textiles is the fourth highest, or
fourth worst ranked – pressure category for use of primary raw
materials and water (after food, housing and transport). It is the
second highest for land use (after food consumed in the EU) and
the fifth highest for greenhouse gas emissions 1.
Created in collaboration with designers and
product developers across Europe, the Design
for Longevity platform showcases the
importance of their role in the fashion sector.
The platform has integrated best practices and
raised awareness, inspiring innovations and
empowering designers and product developers
to influence and change design. Read more
here
Designers and product
developers have the power to
make change for the better.
Design impacts how clothing
and textiles are produced,
how long they will remain
wearable and whether they
can be reused or recycled.
Manufacturers producing textiles and
clothes for many of the world’s major
fashion brands and retail outlets are
‘spilling’ an average of 25% of virgin
material resources3, and it is unclear how
much makes its way back into the supply
chain.
Working with brands, manufacturers, fabric
traders and recyclers, this action was to
look at new models that enable material
leftovers to be used, through re-
manufacturing and recycling solutions.
MADE-BY formed a partnership with
Reverse Resources, completing research
into production spillage/waste.
Unfortunately, despite interest in
understanding how to reduce material
waste in the supply chain, this action could
not be taken up because MADE-BY went
into liquidation.
Key learnings:
• Engagement across manufacturers and
their brand customers is essential - as
spilling involves design and production
processes
• Other stakeholders with potential to
improve the flow and transparency of
material leftovers include textile
collectors and traders, fibre recyclers,
buying houses, spinners and fabric mills
• Each supply chain requires a bespoke
plan to tackle manufacturing waste
• There are many current end of life
waste initiatives and some brands have
limited capacity to also address
manufacturing waste at the same time
Attention will need to turn to the topic of
material circularity in order to find
solutions - not only for post-consumer
waste, but for the entire system in a
holistic way. Read more here
DESIGN FOR LONGEVITY
Up to 80% of a product’s
environmental impact is
through design.2
INFLUENCING PRODUCTION PRACTICES
Note
3. Reverse Resources White Paper
Note
2. Mark Sharfman, The Academy of Management Review Vol. 20,
No. 4 (Oct 1995)
This action area succeeded in helping a range
of European based brands and retailers source
more sustainable fibres and reduce the overall
environmental impact of clothing being
produced for and sold within the European
market.
Twelve retailers and brands took part, each
with different approaches and outcomes. They
were able to calculate their environmental
impact and act to develop improvement
strategies. We have created case studies so
that others can learn from their experiences –
read them here on the ECAP website.
SUSTAINABLE ACTION PLANS Key successes
• Development of sustainable fibres strategies, targets and new
product collections
• Increased purchase of lower impact fibres including eco friendly
cotton and recycled polyester - with one pilot achieving 70%
sustainable cotton in their first year
• Use of recycled fibres and PFC (perfluorinated compound) free
water repellent treatment
• Reduced water and carbon footprint
• More sustainable finishing processes explored
Key learnings
• Understanding your fibre baseline is a valuable first step
• Invest in internal engagement and involve senior management
team from the start to help shift mindsets and change behaviour
• Communicate your challenges and achievements with your
suppliers and colleagues, making it a shared journey
• Use a third party to verify your claims
• Learning by doing is an essential part of the sustainable fibres
journey
• Team empowerment and the emotional connections from
making more sustainable choices shouldn’t be underestimated
The CottonUP Guide aims to unravel the complexity of
sustainable cotton sourcing, to support businesses with
strategies. Through ECAP, MADE-BY contributed to the
development of this guide.(Formerly Z-labels)
Recommendations to European Commission Advisory Group on our findings from our research and experiences of procurers, we made
recommendations for the European Commission on what actions they could undertake to stimulate circular textiles on a European level.
We also presented these recommendations for the Advisory Group of the European Commission on government public procurement and they were received with great interest. With our approach we hope to have given the commission a solid basis and the instruments to develop an integral policy towards circular workwear in Europe
and to set an example for the entire textile industry.
INFLUENCING PUBLIC
PROCUREMENT
This action was developed to help public
procurers reach their environmental goals -
by using their buying power to help direct
change in developing circularity, and set a
practical example to other buyers.
The current drivers and barriers for circular procurement of workwear in
Europe were researched - on a tactical and operational level for
customers and suppliers, including legislation - feeding into the following
key outputs to stimulate circularity in textiles.
Masterclasses were delivered in Amsterdam, Rotterdam,
London and Malmö, helping the 82 attendees make more
sustainable choices about workwear, purchase, use and
disposal.
Content was developed from the knowledge gathered
from the workwear reports, practical examples and pilots,
the procurement process and circular procurement criteria.
To view the masterclass, go here.
Workwear reports
• European Textiles and Workwear Market Report
• Embedding Circular Procurement in Purchasing of
Workwear Report
Masterclasses for procurement
Circular procurement criteria for textiles
As part of ECAP, the Dutch agency Rijkswaterstaat helped
develop circular procurement criteria for textiles.
This was shared with the European Commission, to include in
the green public procurement criteria, which The European
Union developed to facilitate sustainable requirements in
public tender documents.
It can also help or inspire both workwear companies and
fashion brands to make their procurement more circular and
sustainable.
Recommendations to European Commission Advisory
Group
Based on procurers’ experiences and our research findings,
we presented our recommendations to the Green Public
Procurement Advisory Group of the European Commission
on what public procurement actions could be undertaken,
and they were received with great interest.
We hope to have given the Commission a solid basis and
the instruments to develop an integral policy towards
stimulating circular workwear on a European level - to set
an example for the entire textile industry.
BEHAVIOUR CHANGE IN EUROPE
Disposal routes - both Denmark
and Italy experienced increases in
the number of items disposed of
via charity/community shops.
2nd hand purchases - increases were seen in
four nations – for example Denmark (9%-
13%) and Germany (5%-8%).
Behaviour change material
Four consumer campaign packs
were created - based on materials
and messages developed through
WRAP’s successful Love Your
Clothes campaign in the UK and
adapted and tested with
consumers in Germany, Italy, the
Netherlands and Denmark.
The freely available pack includes
messaging guidance and a series
of campaign case studies and
action plans to help you take action
- including social media and info-
graphic templates, animations,
posters and flyer templates.
Behaviour change interventions
• Web content for consumers
with hints and tips on clothes
care and repair was developed
and used in The Netherlands
through Milieu Centraal and
Aldi published Love Your
Clothes material on their
websites
• Regional digital communication
campaigns ran in Bologna
(Italy) and Wales (UK) to
encourage clothing donations,
also testing a promotional
leaflet to households
clothing from incineration and landfill across Europe.
This worked alongside the action for engaging young
consumers through the #LoveNotLandfill campaign.
In 2016 an EU Clothing Survey gathered
information around clothing related
behaviours across Denmark, Germany, Italy,
and The Netherlands. A similar but smaller
survey was conducted in the UK. In 2019
there was a follow up survey, to allow a
comparison and measure the effectiveness of
a consumer facing campaign. Some key
results were:
Clothing longevity - Germany experienced a
significant increase in estimated longevity from 3.8
years in 2016 to 4.4 years in 2019.
Laundry - In the UK there was an increase in the percentage of
people washing their clothes at 30 degrees and a decrease in the
percentage washing at 40 degrees. In Italy there was a decrease
in people washing at 60 degrees.
ECAP worked to positively affect buying, caring for, repairing and
disposing of clothing, in order to help prolong garment life and divert
This action area’s challenge was to tackle a
throw-away attitude to clothing amongst young
Londoners and to work with a fashion brand to
pilot a take-back scheme to re-market
unwanted clothing and reduce the volume of
clothes in landfill.
ENGAGING YOUNG CONSUMERSEuropeans consume
on average 26kg of
textiles per person
per year, and discard
11kg per person4
In November 2017,
online brand ASOS
began working with
LWARB on a project to
assess the commercial
viability of circular
business models.
These exercises covered
price points, back-end
logistics and
investigating customer
interest in variations on
a resale proposition.
Although the trial did
not result in a business
pilot, a number of
insights were gained
along the way. These
are summarised in a
white paper produced
by ASOS which can be
found here.
#LoveNotLandfill was a campaign
set up by The London Waste and
Recycling Board (LWARB) to
encourage young Londoners to
stop throwing clothes in the bin
and shop more for second hand
clothes.
Swap and style events
The campaign launched in 2018
with a ‘swap and style’ event at LM
Barry textile recyclers, raising
awareness amongst influencers of
the scale of the issue. Regular
public clothes swaps have also
taken place over the life of the
campaign.
Clothing banks
Multiple clothes banks, 5 of which
were designed by street artist
Bambi, were placed in key locations
to encourage young people to
donate old clothes, such as
shopping centres and outlet stores.
Pop up shops
Temporary shops were created to
sell 2nd hand clothes in a vibrant,
spacious and friendly environment.
The first #LoveNotLandfill charity
pop up shop ran in November
2018 – in collaboration with charity
retailers and their influencers and
online vintage clothes sellers -
attracting 2,000 visitors over 4 days
and achieving some great media
coverage. The second ran in
November 2019 and more than
doubled its footfall and sales
compared to 2018. Read more
here.
School activities
#LoveNotLandfill created a menu
of activities for schools, delivered
through PSHE (Personal, Social and
Health Education sessions which
run in UK schools) - including a
clothes bank on-site, a talk at the
school and a clothes swap.
Find out more at www.lovenotlandfill.org
www.instagram.com/lovenotlandfill
/ www.twitter.com/LoveNotLandfill
Key findings, results and impacts
• Building strong relationships with
partners such as textile recyclers,
influencers, charities and
sustainable fashion activist
groups was key
• Insights from a youth panel were
invaluable to the campaign
• Changing thinking to be like a
brand rather than like a local
authority
• Going to where young people are
- rather than expecting them to
come to you - by using the
people and platforms they were
already engaging with to build a
following
• Making clothes banks look
different to achieve stand out
• These types of activities (such as
arranging for clothes banks in
shopping centres) can have a
long lead time
Note: 4. EEA Textiles in Europe’s
circular economy
In most Western European countries, a large
amount of clothing discarded from households
is not collected for recycling, instead being
sent to landfill or incineration. Materials lost
could have been reused on the second-hand
market or recycled.
IMPROVING TEXTILE COLLECTION
1. Report
We conducted a study on practices
in six cities across Europe to
establish insights that can inspire
municipalities to improve textile
collection. In all cases, city
authorities have directly, or
indirectly, increased their level of
engagement. More details can be
found in the published Textile
Collection in European Cities
report.
2. Regional meetings
Regional meetings were organised
in Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy,
Northern Macedonia, the UK and
the Baltic countries and in the
ACR+ network. The aim was to
inspire with practical examples and
lessons learned, sharing views,
agenda setting and building
networks.
Also presentations were held for
the Bureau of International
Recycling (BIR), the Ellen McArthur
Foundation, the Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) Club and
International Solid Waste
Association (ISWA). View an
example presentation.
With the Revised Waste Framework
Directive 2018, member states now
have a mandatory requirement for
the separation of additional waste
streams including textiles by 2025.
3. Guidance
A Guidance was published in July
2019 providing municipalities with
information to help them take a
leading role in collection of
textiles. Find the guidance here.
4. Case study
Under ECAP, Leger des Heils
ReShare ran a trial to collect more
textiles by adding more clothing
banks in Utrecht and testing labels
communications.
Key findings and results:
• Set measurable targets related
to textile collection and then
set up systems for monitoring
• Increase collection
convenience if collection levels
are low, by increasing
collection point densities, or
collection at home, or in the
workplace
• Collaboration between
different players can
strengthen collection,
subsequent processing and sale.
Map important players and get to
know them before you start
• Increase transparency in the
processes for collected textiles
and in how the money that is
raised by their sale, is used. For
example, via an accreditation
system such as the Nordic Re-
use and Recycling
Commitment.
Read more about this action area
here.
View more lessons learnt in the
guidance here.
This action demonstrated that the use of
recycled fibres is possible, to experiment with
this and see what barriers need to be tackled.
It aimed to reduce the use of virgin materials in
the production of clothing in order to save
water and energy, and to reduce the amount of
clothing going to landfill and incineration.
INTEGRATING RECYCLED FIBRES Lessons learnt
Case studies for each of these pilots were developed, which are
available here on the ECAP website.
Leading the way. Retailers and brands can take the
lead and make fibre to fibre recycling common
practice by working in new ways - with or without
consumer demand.
The importance of design. Have an impact from
the start and create products that will be made to
last and can be recycled.
New ways of working. Circular economy is all about
collaboration, sharing of knowledge and information.
New ways of working not only in terms of
technology, but also in the supply chain.
Co-operation in the supply chain. Know your
suppliers - they are partners and you will need them
for their expertise. Co-operation with other brands
and retailers can also help in developing new
business models.
Consumer engagement. Empower consumers to
make sustainable choices and the demand for
sustainable garments will help drive change.
A Fibre to Fibre Guidance Tool was created to
inspire others to take action to adopt a circular
approach to textiles. It is aimed at professionals
working for the textiles industry, including
designers, fashion brands, retailers, workwear
suppliers and textile recyclers. The Fibre to Fibre
Guidance Tool contextualises the work amongst
other developments in the sector.
Nine companies, from fashion brands to work-wear companies and
from children’s wear to hotel linen, started an innovative pilot to
recover fibres and turn them into new garments.
The experience and knowledge gained from the pilots has been
captured in useful factsheets including how to find internal and
external support and co-operation, organise communication or
logistics and address issues like design and quality of the garment –
to inspire other companies and brands to recycle fibres.
• The impacts of ECAP will continue to grow even after the project is finished. Retailer sustainable fibre strategies and consumer facing campaign activities will continue to provide savings across
carbon, water and waste well into the future.
PROJECT RESULTS
Retailers reduced the environmental
footprint of garments they sell by:
• implementing sustainable fibre
strategies, reducing certain fibres’
emission factors and changing
high-level fibre compositions
• workwear retailers and brands
worked alongside organisations in
the textiles production chain to trial
pilot fibre-2-fibre schemes, to
increase the amount of recycled
fibres in their clothing
Clothing collections for recycling and
re-use were increased by campaign
activity and work with collectors and
municipalities.
“ … 845 tonnes of used clothing have been
collected, +240 tonnes compared to the
quantities collected in the previous year...”
La Fraternita consumer case study - Recooper
WATER
CARBON
WASTE
Waste reduction of over 4,500
tonnes was achieved, mostly by
retailers changing high-level fibre
compositions and increasing
quantities of used textiles
collection for recycling and re-use.
ECAP also succeeded in increasing
recycling rates through consumer
campaigns, to encourage
responsible textiles disposal and
diversion from landfill and
incineration.
Total savings achieved by ECAP
CO2e savings (tonnes) 834,000
Water savings (m3) 50,100,000
Waste diversion from landfill (tonnes)
4,670
The majority of the 50 million m3 water savings came from
the implementation of brands and retailers’ sustainable
cotton fibres action plans and from the fibre-2-fibre pilots.
Most of the total carbon saving of over
830,000 tonnes came from retailers’ lower
carbon emissions for polyester, regenerated
cellulosics and nylon, with smaller
contributions from sustainable fibre use
and changes in fibre composition.
“We would have wanted
to do a similar project but
I don't think we would
have got it off the ground
for a long time … ECAP
has provided practical
support as well as the
theory behind doing
things - it has helped us to
convince internal
management that it is
something that we can do,
and guidelines on where
we start and how to do it
in practice. Furthermore, I
feel we can contact other
ECAP participants - they
seem to be open to
sharing insights and
collaboration which is
much needed for change
like this to happen.”
Clothing brand in Belgium
The impact of ECAP will
continue after the project
finishes, with retailer
sustainable fibre strategies and
consumer facing campaign
activities continuing, providing
savings across carbon, water
and waste well into the future.
Consumer communications
in Denmark, Germany, Italy,
The Netherlands, Republic
of Ireland and the UK
Users are registered
to use ECAP’S
sustainable design
platform
European-based apparel brands
and retailers implementing
sustainable fibre action plans9 Fibre-2-Fibre
recycling pilots -
inspiring others
in the industry
Continued impact from sustainable fibre action plans, more resource efficient supply chains, informed consumers and designers and progress on fibre-2-fibre recycling, will deliver savings after ECAP completes and into the future.
KEY IMPACTS
C02 savings of over 800,000 tonnes
1,500
Water savings of over 50 million m3
Waste reduction or diversion from
landfill and incineration of over 4,600
tonnes
Development of a toolbox of resources, including:
reports, guidance, case studies and learning
outcomes - available to inspire and inform others
Establishment of valuable partnerships and
collaborations across countries in Europe
12
The sustainability of the clothing sector is an
issue that has been rising up the European
political agenda over recent years. In her
agenda for Europe the new Commission
president Ursula von der Leyen announced
that the European Commission will propose a
new circular economy action plan for textiles.
POLICY
Several European member states are now
consulting on the introduction of Extended
Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles,
which if implemented, will provide a clear
incentive to brands to redesign their clothing
to minimise environmental impact over the
whole lifecycle and find solutions for
innovations in the recycling of fibres. ECAP’s
Design for Longevity platform and Fibre to
Fibre guidance tool will help them to do this
effectively.
ECAP has concluded that solutions will have to
be found on a European level, to ensure a
viable business case for the recycling of
textiles, especially if, due to separate collection
and EPR, more low grade textiles will be
collected for which there are currently no
viable end-markets.
While the ECAP project cannot
claim responsibility for this
increased focus from policymakers,
our research and evidence helped
to put the issue on the agenda
and inform policy debate on a
European, national and municipal
level.
ECAP has developed circular
procurement criteria for textiles,
which have been fed into the
ongoing development of the
Commission’s Green Public
Procurement guidance.
Recent amendments to the EU
Waste Framework Directive, arising
from the Circular Economy
Package, will require
member states to organise the
mandatory separate collection of
textiles from 2025.
This should encourage
municipalities and the textile
recycling sector to consider how
best to maximise the value of
textiles at end of life. ECAP’s
guidance on how to improve
textile collection rates will be
directly relevant here. Low grade
textiles in particular will not be
recycled unless there is a viable
business case.
ECAP case studies demonstrate
how this can be done, and
should inform policymakers of
the necessary conditions for
success.
“Clothing ranks sixth in household spending5, but its environmental cost is far greater. The clothing industry has a huge environmental footprint across its supply chain, and at end of life. Its reach is global, and its impacts profound. We too, as consumers, directly contribute to the stress put on the planet by how we dress. ECAP’s challenge has been to improve production, supply, use and disposal of our clothes in ways businesses and people, will adopt.’’ Peter Maddox, Director, WRAP
Note: 5. European Commission Eurostat
• The impacts of ECAP will continue to grow even after the project is finished. Retailer sustainable fibre strategies and consumer facing campaign activities will continue to provide savings across
carbon, water and waste well into the future.
WHAT NEXT?
Those involved in ECAP are proud of its value
and partners and advisors will continue to
reference the project’s resources at textiles
events and will inform the development of
future projects. It is expected that the
political and social landscape will also drive
recognition of its importance.
ECAP was a project to start the
collective movement for driving
circular fashion and the ground
is now ripe for ECAP’s resources
to flourish.
Partnerships and collaborations that were
formed in ECAP, during pilots and at events,
will have the potential to expand and
crystalise. Feedback suggests that many
participant organisations who developed
sustainable or circular strategies with ECAP,
will continue to implement these and
achieve more environmental savings.
Greater awareness of the
environmental impact of fast
fashion and the role that
consumers play, may give rise to
more people seeking more
sustainable practices and
contribute to a slow down in
thoughtless clothing waste.
There is also increased
awareness of and interest in the
impact of textiles waste and
more action is now needed to
try to halt this.
“This has been a huge amount of work for many partners, in many
countries. Through ECAP, retailers have reduced the footprint of
garments they sell; workwear and brands have piloted cutting edge
fibre2fibre schemes increasing recycled content used in clothing
and household textile collections have increased. I am very proud
of what everyone has achieved and how these resources will now
help drive sustainable fashion in the future.”
Peter Maddox, Director, WRAP
“ECAP is one of a few
ground-breaking and
innovative projects on
textiles, clothing and the
environment which have
resulted in textiles being a
priority sector for the
European Commission and its
next circular economy action
plan.”
Lars Fogh Mortensen,
Consumption, Products and
Plastics Expert, European
Environment Agency
Learning and results over the four years of the project have been captured
in valuable resources. These include interactive guidance documents, case
studies and action plans that will continue to be available from ECAP’s
website. They can be used, referenced and incorporated in further
innovative projects to continue to drive positive change in the sector.
Digital platform Design for Longevity and the Love Not Landfill campaign,
will be managed by ECAP partners and built upon as a means to enable
more change in design practices and sustainable consumer behaviours.
https://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/
If you want to know more about the ECAP project, then please see http://www.ecap.eu.com or contact us at ecap@wrap.org.uk
To access resources referred to in this report, please go to http://www.ecap.eu.com/resources/
CONTACT
www.wrap.org.uk
www.lwarb.gov.uk
www.afvalcirculair.nl
In May 2018, Danish Fashion Institute legally became Global Fashion Agenda www.globalfashionagenda.com
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